The State Government has released Rs. 42.41 crore towards payment as compensation to people from whom 994.01 acres have been acquired during 1980-82 to set up Bharathiar University.
Nearly 1,375 land owners in Somayampalayam and Vadavalli are fighting for compensation for the last 32 years.
Coimbatore District Collector M. Karunagaran said that the district administration had sought Rs. 202.24 crore.
The compensation fixed at the time of land acquisition was Rs. 97.71 lakh. Against which the land owners moved court. Of the 20 petitions, the Madras High Court has disposed one petition. The court has fixed a compensation ranging from Rs. 2,300 a cent to Rs. 3,300 a cent and 9 per cent interest for the delay along with 15 per cent as penal interest.
The State Government on April 2 passed two orders. The first (GO Ms. No 51) pertains to the petition disposed by the court.
The other (GO Ms. No 52) deals with the remaining 19 land acquisition petitions pending before the court, including six appeals. In these cases, the court, in its interim order, had said that the government should deposit Rs. 1,000 a cent with interest with the court within six weeks so that land owners could withdraw 50 per cent of their claim. Government wants to go in appeal to reduce the rate of interest.
To continue the appeal process, funds have to be deposited in the court.
The Government has arrived at the compensation amount of Rs. 40,20,47,754 by fixing the value of the land at Rs 1,000 a cent along with an interest at the rate of 7 per cent from the date of award to December 31, 2012. The calculation has been based on the interim order of the High Court.
